CO129-570-11 Sino-Japanese War- Japanese attack on Chinese Maritime Customs cruiser- CHAHSING 19-1-1938 - 23-3-1938 — Page 24

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then for the first time that the vessel which had

been taken for a gunboat was found to be the Customs

patrol s.s. "Chahsin". The destroyer moved off and

left her there.

5.

As is clear from the foregoing, the Japanese destroyer did not take the Chinese Customs patrol in tow as is stated in Your Excellency's Note. It is moreover scarcely credible to the Imperial Japanese Government that men of the Japanese Navy should have landed without permission and made off with a number chickens from nearby houses and no sailor landed in that neighbourhood at the time in question.

6.

of

But the facts that Japanese shells fell

within British territorial waters in the line of fire

and that since the investigation of the abandoned enemy vessel was carried out in circumstances which did not

permit of delay, British territorial waters were entered without the consent of a British Authority are nevertheless regretted by the Imperial Japanese Govern- ment and those responsible have been dealt with appro- priately in accordance with the law.

7.

I have the honour to add that the Imperial Navy have, in view of the occurrence of this incident,

sent strict instructions to their detachments in China

to take adequate precautions against the recurrence

of such incidents in future.

I avail, etc., etc.,

(sgd) Koki Hirota (L.S.)

H.I.J.M's. Minister for Foreign Affairs.